Page 4293 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017
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they change their club allegiance, the government will look favourably on their proposed development application. Perhaps they are doing what is best for their members by making that switch, given the potential promise or potential commitment that Mr Gentleman might have given.
It goes to the integrity of the government that this is how you get decisions made in Canberra. This is how you get a job done. It is by, in effect, joining Labor’s fellow travellers. Things are not done on their merits—they are not done on the planning quality; they are not done on the environmental impact—they are done on whether you are a fellow traveller of the Labor movement.
Last year we heard a lot about sovereign risk—the government trying to concoct some argument about light rail. The sovereign risk in the ACT is linked to the dodgy deals that this government does in its pet projects for fellow travellers. We see it time and again. It is a shame that the Federal Golf Club has been embroiled in this integrity issue. Quite frankly, I do not think they necessarily went in with their eyes wide open about what they were potentially getting themselves into in terms of the mess that is Labor property deals. They may well have gone in with their eyes wide open in terms of a transactional approach, in trying to get a good outcome, but I very much doubt that they realised the links that could so easily be drawn to the many other scandals that have plagued this government in recent years with regard to property deals.
We of course know about the issues with the casino and the Glebe Park block. We know about the issues of the lakeside businesses and land. We know about the issues with the rural leases and the Dickson CFMEU land swap. We know about the issues with the Woden Tradies and their car park rort. We know about all these. Unfortunately, this Federal Golf Club deal could very well join that list. It should not be that the way to get development applications up, the way to get Territory Plan variations made, is to join the Labor cause. But, unfortunately, that is what it seems to have come to in the ACT. That is corruption. That is what it has come to in the ACT.
Mr Gentleman: On a point of order, Madam Assistant Speaker: Mr Coe has used the word “corruption” against me and the government a number of times during his speech. I ask that he withdraw that statement.
Mr Wall: On the point of order, Madam Assistant Speaker.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Cody): Mr Wall.
Mr Wall: I believe Mr Coe has been very careful to name not one individual or member of this place in those corruption allegations but more specifically the government as a whole.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Coe has not necessarily named any one person, an individual, in particular. However, I remind members in this place that we do have parliamentary standing orders that we must adhere to. If there are substantive matters to be raised then maybe there needs to be a separate motion. If there is actual information that needs to be taken to authorities then that also needs to be considered.
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